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Showing posts from 2011

Little pearls of wisdom

Yesterday, we were dining at a restaurant. I was busy trying to think how the cook managed to flop the usually excellent "Adai". I mean, even to flop some dish, there has to be a way.. What I expected on my plate was the usual South Indian delicacy called Adai, made of grams, rice and lentils with typical  flavoring that South Indians cant live without. I was thinking of the excellent adai I made at home earlier that week... While I was trying to munch the adai on my plate, I couldnt help looking at my husband's expression on the Pongal he was eating... He also said something about the Pongal that we ate at home earlier that week.. Our thought lines stopped right where they were, as we heard this line : Cut the Past and Shut the Future. It was from a little girl at the next table.. She was telling her mother to cut the past and shut the future in some context.. I turned to look and saw a six year old or may be seven years at the maximum, saying this mega pearl of wi

From Bitter Gourd...

Of course, the title seems like I am going to write a recipe with Bitter Gourd... May be I can write.. but the idea today is what I realized when I cooked bitter gourd curry yesterday. Okay, for beginners or people who can never think of bitter gourd even on paper, I must let you know that it is quite an art to make this interesting vegetable to suit your taste. Bitter Gourd as the name has it, tastes bitter, so much so, not many people would like to eat it. Now, one truth about dishes that are less tasty is that they are all healthy for the body's function. So, the dutiful home maker that I thought I was, decided to make bitter gourd curry yesterday. A big achievement for anyone who is cooking is to ensure that the vessel is empty after the meal, meaning everyone likes the dish so much that nothing is left for the next meal or tomorrow. Honestly, I think that is when everyone has had a really good meal. Now with this aim, to cook bitter gourd was really a challenge for me. H

K.J Yesudas's interview for me

K.J.Yesudas, the king of Carnatic and Cini songs in Indian Cinema, is finishing his fiftieth successful year of singing career. There was interview with him in one of the Malayalam Television channels. One point among many of his valuable thoughts caught my attention and has managed to hold my attention to it over the last whole hour. "If it is not meant for me, I wont get it and I have never worried about it. Its best to appreciate others work for what it is and my belief is that I will not get what is meant for the other person." This was his response to the question, " Have you ever wished that you got the chance to sing someone else 's super hit song?" What a wonderful philosophy!!!.. Think about it.. Its so simple and the best way to make peace with our many thoughts many a time. Don't you think so? The younger generation, that is all of us, always want something, or wish that we had a chance to get something, or be somebody, or be like somebody, or jus

Kadai or Frying Pan

I know you must be surprised to see such a title on my blog, especially after such a long gap in blogging. I am surprised myself. Yesterday when I was mindlessly doing the dishes after breakfast, my favorite frying pan or kadai ( In Tamil ) was staring at me. I could imagine two eyes, a nose and a bright smile on the round kadai. I smiled involuntarily. Then it struck me as I started scrubbing it, that this particular kadai has been of immense use in my kitchen for the last one plus year. Without this, I don't think, there has been a single day of cooking possible for me. At least I have a feeling that all my best dishes have come out their best because of this kadai. I also couldn't stop wondering how tirelessly it is serving me. I gave a good look at the pan and saw a lot of wear from the constant usage and scrubbing and cleaning. It has lost its new look that it once had, still it has gained such an important space in my kitchen and my mind. Every time I enter the kitchen th

Happenstances - Appreciations made me smile!!!

I disconnected my internet after trying very hard to rewrite something that I rewrote already.. Oh yes, these things are very common in technical writing. The best decision that has always worked for me is to switch to my blog and write or read something that I wrote before or approve a comment or may be even write a post that day. For a while I have not been doing this and so it never occured till I almost pressed the shut down button. [ Okay dont ask me, why, you can always restart... You cant, especially if you have worked hard on one page and finally emailed that copy to your client and didnt find the next page interesting enough to spend the next three hours on.. and I dont have that kind of 'bandwidth' in my present lifestyle ]. I really do not know how but I suddenly remembered something I wanted to write about and was sure it wont take long to write it out. So reconnected the net and logged in to blogger. There was a comment waiting for me. As always, comments ma

Worm in the rain....

The South West monsoon and its rains are very popular in India , more so in Kerala and Mumbai . The papers ran news threads saying , Heavy rains lashing Mumbai ... and I was in the kitchen making our breakfast . Yummy ( I really mean it ) Aloo Poha ( Cooked rice flakes , potato , and southern spices blended in uniformly ) was coming out really well in my mind as I started adding one ingredient after the other . While at this , my mind was also doing some parallel processing of the ' To Do ' list for the day and complaining to much about the rainy day . I had so much to do and the rain started off really early ( rather it had not stopped througout the night , which possibly I didnt know ). I could not hear any other noise except the noise of the rain falling on the asbestos and plastic or whatever other material people used as an extra shade to t

Can't wait for my computer to start up

Yes, that's exactly the feeling each time I start my computer. After a very long gap, I finally got my hands on my laptop. Its surely a blessing and makes me feel that life is back to its routine. I didn't think computer can be a major addiction, at least to me, but it definitely is, to be honest. After a long vacation in India, dealing with many things, and settling back in Oman, I finally started off with checking emails and once that was over, my next stop was to step in here and say I am back. I have quite a few things to write about, which I will slowly do during the next few weeks. I just came in to give my attendance in blogspot, as it just doesnt feel okay not to write :) Hope all of you have been doing well and great over the past two months. Keep reading, Dew

Television - a new angle

Until this morning, I never gave any serious consideration for Television as a medium of knowledge. My grandmother was seen to be very busy with her cooking in the kitchen. We all knew it was only 10.00 A.M and there was a lot of time to even think of lunch. Besides we were a lot of people who could help in cooking as well. That way, we need not enter the kitchen until Noon. While the entire family was chatting about everything and nothing, we noticed that my grandmother was quietly rushing off to the living room. After giving it a safe timer of five minutes, my curiosity got the better of me and I went to check what makes the always present grandma so busy to even sit with the gathering. There she was trying to figure out the channel number that played her favorite programme. After a very very very long time, I decided to watch the programme with her, more t0 find out what makes her rush to the Television. There was this programme called Makkal Arangam wherein people discuss common is

Sargam - A 1992 Movie Review

This is a malayalam movie directed by Hariharan. Probably everyone in Kerala would have watched this many times. I got a chance to watch this movie yesterday. Brilliant make - a nice mix of psychology and music. I could identify, Vineeth, Renuka, Thilagan, and Nedumudi Venu in the movie. I wouldnt know the rest of the stars but I must say the movie has been done very well and is set in the late seventies or so it seems. Or may be the nineties itself. I would not know such a set up because I grew up in Tamil Nadu. The whole movie has been shot in a bungalow of old times. They call it Kovilagam which seems to mean Temple. I assume that the ancestors of this family had once been very rich and provided for the families working for them and lived a kingly life with great taste towards traditional arts. The family in the movie seems to be richer as well and did have regards for arts, especially music. Kuttan Thamburan had epilepsy and his close pal, Hari was around right from childhood to ta

On silence and quietness

Being silent and Being quiet are not the same. Absence of Noise is Quietness. Presence of Peace in the midst of noise is Silence. Being quiet resolves disputes. Being silent never brings up disputes. Being quiet can mean acceptance. Being silent can mean forgiveness or patience. Being quiet all the time can cause problems to be promoted from trivial to disastrous. Being silent all the time can cause problems to be demoted from disastrous to trivial. They said, Speech is Silver, Silence is Golden.. Quietness didn't find a place in the proverb. So, speak when you must, with Silence as the goal in your mind. Speak to make peace. Speak to appreciate. Speak to love. Speak to thank. Speak to care. Speak to reduce stress. Speak to have fun. Speak to communicate. Speak to emote. In all these instances your mental silence will only improve. In examination halls and temples quietness will improve your focus. Temples and examination halls should revise their sign boards as 'Silence and Q

Nrityanjali's Sharanarpitam - Wonderful

Thursday evening was grand for us. I was very excited to have an invitation for a Bharatanatyam dance performance of my friend's daughter. I had learnt the art as a child and I now know to appreciate Bharatanatyam. I can sit for hours together watching dance performances. So, off we went to this place called Al Wadi Al Khabir and struggled to find a parking space outside the venue, Crystal Suites. Inside, there was an event manager who directed us to the place and our friends came out of the hall with two passes. The effect inside the hall was theatrical and the first performance of the children had begun. The programme started with a lot of Shlokhas sung on various Hindu Gods and Godesses. All the children who took part in this dance were under seven years of age. The stage was colorful and the lighting was perfect. I liked the grace, the style, the ease and the uniformity with which the children did their performance. It gave the best first impression on the whole programme. We d

Cooking and healing touch!!!

I was not feeling too well yesterday and over the last few days. It was my husband's birthday yesterday and I wanted to feel good. Now, I didn't know that all it takes to change from a 'not-too-well' state to 'feel-better' or 'doing-good' is just that one voice in my head which said: Just get up and get going... Make some nice special meal for dinner and of course take rest after you are done. After all, it is his special day and do not break his day's cheer!!!! I do not know even as I write this post as to how I actually worked myself up to make a grand dinner ( Okay, not so grand, but yes a different dinner I must say ) On the menu last night we had: Badam Kheer Masala Vada Olan ( Kerala dish) Mango Sambhar Tomato Rasam Capsicum curry Pappad Moru Molagai or fried chillies We had a good dinner and it was only after I put away the dishes and cleared the table that my feeling of 'not-well' really propped up again.. Can cooking be connected to

Blessed!!!

Today, I woke up toa reasonably good start as compared to the last few days. Still, somewhere deep down I knew that I am not what I usually am. Discovered that blessings are always around when I switched on my computer. There were emails to make my mood better, some old friends came online after many months just today, and I did receive some emails from people after a long time. Also read some interesting blog posts. Now, all these would have happened many times in my life, but somehow today I realized that all of these are blessings that have been in my life over the years and never realized as much as I did today. Am much better spirited person now. We often do not know how blessed we are until a moment comes when we have to put up with something to realize how much blessed we are. I remember this verse from school : I thank the Lord that I've been Blessed; With more than my share of happiness. Its probably just that I never bothered to realize the gift of a simple email, a chat

Listening and understanding are two different things!!!!

I have often thought it is easy to understand someone else. But then realized in one important and striking moment today that actually it is not easy to understand anyone at all. All the times that we have claimed to have understood someone were probably because we were not involved in the scene as much as them. They say, everything is funny as long as it happens to someone else... Another saying : Head ache and Stomach ache can be understood only if you face it yourself at least once. It only means that unless the other person is also in the same boat as you or has been there before and done that before or been through it before, just like your situation only then it is possible to understand. The other times that we claim we understand, we are just empathizing with the person's situation and may be give a lending ear to the other person's thoughts and emotions. But we really do not know what all must be going through someone's head when they say what they say!!! This is a

Splash on Judgement

Lets reserve judgment to managerial decisions and trial court rooms; Keep personal and social circle out of this. Your judgement need not be correct; Often it is just an assumption. If someone says something, it is expected that you listen, but it is definitely not mandatory to judge them by what they say. Almost always, you are judged by what you say, what you wear, what you do, but rarely by what you are. So dont worry about any incorrect judgement. Judgements are like statistics; they are just a broad scale to go by, but they are not to be completely trusted. Do not judge a person, but definitely judge his actions. That way, even if your judgement is incorrect, you still won't hate the person. Everyone has a right to give opinions, but often these opinions get stated as judgements. Know the difference between the two!!! Opinion is a view point, Judgement is a conclusion with no ammendment. Don't hesitate to give your opinion but ensure you think twice before you make it soun

On Men and Women

Men are Men and can be ridiculous; Women are Women and can be stupid!!! Men can follow world news much easier than what is happening in their homes; Women dont care much about who is playing today's cricket match but it is very important for them to know who is the designer for the next dress in display in a shop. Men are generally the happiest when left alone; Women are generally the crankiest when left alone. Men love to be carelessly dressed; Women love to look carelessly dressed, but would have spent hours together carefully on the carelessness. Men talk less; Women can never keep quiet; even the quietest woman is silently talking to herself. Men act like they dont love gossips, but then news channels are in business only because of them; Women don't act, they love gossips but don't love news channels anyway. Men cannot sit and read for a reason women can never understand - Books make you listen to an idea; Men like to listen only to themselves. If the home is lucky, th

Strange wish!!!

I was looking for some answers online. I got answers to most of my questions but then there are few that I am unable to find on google... Over the years, I've got so used .. rather all of us have got so used to googling, that if it is not in Google, it probably is not there is the conclusion for most searches.. I recall a dialogue in Dum Maro Dum where a police officer is asking a question to a 'just-found' informer from the city gangster group. The informer shivers obviously terrified.. The officer says, " Say if you know this person or not.. For everything else there's google ". This dialogue is the best in the movie and seems so right too especially when you are looking for some information online. Just a while ago, after thirty minutes of hard search and research, when I did find partial answer to my query, I logged on to gmail and sincerely wished God had an email address that I can write to for some of my doubts for which Google cannot give me a solution

Dum Maro Dum - Movie review

This movie is about drug mafia and its impact on the younger generation and the society at large. Everyone, just about everyone in the movie has a hand in the drug mafia voluntarily or involuntarily. The ACP Vishnu Kamat is posted in this particular place to eradicate the evil of drug mafia. This officer had once bent a lot of rules and regulations for the drugsters until one fine day, a car accident in which his wife and child reaches God's abode changes his life for good. The cause of the accident was a head-on-collision with a vehicle driven by a drug addict. Vishnu Kamat changed for good. Now, the way Vishnu Kamat deals with chasing the several million worth drug storage and its owners is one angle of the movie. The way the drug whirls every youngster into it is another angle. The fact that nobody is able to resist the money benefits that the drug business in that town and abroad brought is another angle. The pivot of the movie is the brains behind the story line. The direction

Atleast they believe.....

Too many controversial statements, Too many cover stories, Too many opinions on that one great soul, Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Never meant to write about this, but then could not resist, when I read a post just now on one of the popular websites. The post was well written and says a statement that is way beyond argument.. Death happens to everyone and it seems like it all ends in 'Nothing'. Agreed. It further goes to say that it is just because of this truth that makes man weak, that man seeks solace in divinity, sages, gurus, and spirituality. May be like a load of others this person is expressing his views... Everyone seems to have an opinion on the belief in this great soul - some inviting, some troublesome, some biased, and some baseless. Over the years a lot has been said and a lot has been probably left unsaid... Have you touched a zillion lives? Have you been able to help as many people? Have you sustained so many controversial cover stories? Have you worn the same colored cl

Fingering.....

Yes, that is a term used in Type-writing. I never went to an institute to learn typing and so never really knew which fingers to use for which keys in my keyboard. All I knew is I learnt to type through my endless ranting about sense and nonsense on my chat windows, email compose pages and blog space and ofcourse my job as a Technical Writer. [ It surprises me that not a single interviewer asked me this question if I knew to type professionally ].I guess, everyone learns typing through practice and so that said, I do not know which fingers I habitually use for which keys on my key board... Until... Today... Why go as far as typing? I never realized the key role of one of my fingers other than wearing a ring, until this morning, I must say. I was busy dreaming about the yummy breakfast I am about to make ( yes, dream about the end product as you start preparing the dish, it will come out very well..) This is not a conscious decision I made, but then I was so hungry and was telling mysel

cine songs - yesterday and years ago

Yes.. I did feel devastated hearing one particular song. Since it is against the policy of my blog to quote the programme or the movie ( I dont care to know which movie though) I am not saying which programe it is. Yesterday afternoon, I switched on the TV and chanced to see a wonderful stage show where a lot of cine singers sang their best. There were also some dance programmes in between. It was supposedly some major launch and a lot of famous people were present to make the event and the crowd blessed!!!! And the crowd was massive... As far as one could see, it was heads and heads unlimited. I was enjoying every bit of the song sequences and was in my own world of music. I love music for its tone sometimes, for its cheer some other times, for the words sometimes and for the background music other times. I am not a great singer but I do go on a singing spree at home sometimes. Some songs just drive me crazy because I love Tamil language for its beauty and the words that make total se

No time syndrome

Yes, I was caught up in the 'No time' syndrome for a while I guess. I never took the effort to come to my blog page until this morning when I picked up this book called Megaliving by Robin Sharma. I enjoy my morning cup of coffee usually with some TV programme. Today, because the book was lying in the sofa where I left it last night..[ Oh yes, am not too organized.. for me, its really okay for things to be lying around once in a while... usually the house gets in order only after 10:00 A.M. After that I never re-arrange or move things much. If me or my husband have not had the sense to put it back on shelf, so be it.. until the next morning!!!! Life is more than just cleaning is my present motto.], I picked it up to leaf through it. Some thought lines as I typed the email spreading word about the book to my friends: When we cannot spend time with ourselves and people, what are we trying to achieve? Are we trying to work for a tomorrow that is yet to come? Most often we are biss

On the home page

I usually have Google search page as my landing page as soon as I start my browser window . The reason was every time I needed some reference at work , it was easier to 'Google' it . Last month , we had given our computer for a re - formatting . When the computer came back from the center , the home page in our Internet Explorer browser was set to a news page . I didn 't bother much . I used my Google whenever I needed it , but since I am not working like before , I used the search page not so often . It must have been three weeks with that set up of news page . Every day I got to read some unpleasant , saddening news of some problem , mishap , accident , tricked incident , fraudulence , and resistance . I didn 't like it , but then took it as a fact of life . I used to quickly skip the page after the first story of mishap . This particular page had sixte